Conventionally, biomedical tissue samples for use in biomedical tissue observations had to be prepared into samples of thin sections (referred to simply hereinafter as “thin section samples”). Accordingly, a part of the biomedical tissue subject to observations was embedded in a wax and the like to obtain a solid sample, and the biomedical tissue in the solid state was cut out using a microtome and the like to obtain the desired thin section samples. Such biomedical tissue parts embedded in a wax and the like are referred to hereinafter as embedded blocks.
In the case of preparing such thin section samples in large amounts, the edge portions of the aforementioned embedded blocks were adhered to a long carrier tape and the parts in the vicinity of the edge portion were cut out to leave the thin section samples adhered on the carrier tape. Then, the long carrier tape was moved for a predetermined distance, and the edge portion of the embedded block above was adhered to a new site. The vicinity of the edge portion was cut out similarly by repeating the process. By cutting out the thin section samples in this manner, the thin section samples remain held on the carrier tape without flying apart, thus simplifying the repeatedly carried out sequential operations. That is, this process was advantageous in preparing thin section samples in large amount.
On the other hand, as described above, on observing the thin section samples prepared in large amounts, these thin section samples thus obtained had to be treated with chemicals (processing solution). Thus, the thin section samples that have been adhered to the carrier tape were immersed in the chemicals (processing solution) inside a container. Since the thin section samples were adhered sequentially to tapes, it was advantageous to process the thin section samples in the manner above in case they were processed with the same chemical (processing solution), because the thin section samples could be continuously immersed and the process could thereby speeded up.
However, in the modern-day observations of biomedical tissues, it is required to process each of the thin section samples above with different chemicals (for instance, dyeing and the like). On attempting processing the thin section samples using the processing method above, inconveniences were found because the thin section samples were continuously carried adhered to a sequence of tapes. Furthermore, on attempting to cut the sequence of tapes one after another by the part on which the thin section samples were held adhered, inconveniences were found on the positioning for observations.